7 Wonders Birding Tours

China: Culture and Wildlife Exploration in Beijing and Xi’an.
2025-04-07 - 2025-04-12, 2020-11-29 - 2020-12-04
The absolute China essentials on your bucket list with Chinese Wall, Terracotta Army, and the Forbidden City, plus some amazing birding and wildlife with Crested Ibis and Golden Stub-nosed Monkey. See the detailed itinerary on this page.

Aardvark, Bat-eared Fox and Aardwolf in South Africa.
2025-01-19 - 2025-01-23
While most naturalists hit Kruger NP for the Big Five, and the birders will end up in the Cape region for endemics and a pelagic on their first South Africa trip, eventually a few weird animals in the mammal field guide will raise the question that you sooner or later will ask your local guide:
“Can we see an Aardvark?”
“Can we see a Pangolin?”

In spite of their fairly large ranges, all over Africa, you will be met with a headshake… and a … “very difficult” – reply.

There is however one area that is very good for Aardvark – the pig-like anteater with long upright rabbit ears. It is close to Kimberley, half way between Johannesburg and Cape Town, and hence mostly missed by South Africa visitors as being out of the way. Also Pangolin is sometimes seen here.

Kimberley is served with regular flights from both Cape Town and Johannesburg, so it makes a perfect 7 Wonders Birding Tour for five days. Half that time will be spent in Mokala National Park and the other half at the Marrick private reserve with superb birding and wildlife watching.
Check out the detailed itinerary here.

Birding Ancient Egypt with Petra Extension
2024-04-06 - 2024-04-13
The only still standing of the classic 7 Wonders are the pyramids of Giza which includes the Cheops pyramid and the Sphinx. Egypt has to be included in a 7 Wonders Birding tour. Additionally, the marvelous Cairo Museum, the valley of the Kings, Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel, plus a cruise on the Nile are must-sees for bucket-listers around the world. If the non-birding spouse has been on your back about that trip to Egypt give him/her this itinerary. Jam-packed with all the best sites, plus a lot of birding for species like Pharaoh Eagle-Owl, Greater Painted Snipe, Nile Valley Sunbird, White-tailed Lapwing, African Skimmer, Sooty Falcon, Cream-colored Courser and Greater Hoopoe-Lark.
The extension to Petra, one of the New 7 Wonders, also gives some birding possibilities with Sinai Rosefinch, Palestine Sunbird, and Fan-tailed Raven as key species.
Check out the full itinerary on the tour page.

Birding Tasmania - Tasmanian Devil, Platypus and Birds (longer small group itinerary)
2024-02-15 - 2024-02-22
Even if you are a birder, when you think of Australia, you think of marsupial mammals, right? The first time it crossed your mind that you wanted to go to Australia to see all these wonders, you probably also thought of a country so large that you would need to buy or rent a camper van and spend some 3-6 months to see everything properly. Years pass, and it never happened… and now you have realized… that time is slipping by, and that that road trip will likely never happen. If there was only a way to do Australia in less time. If there was a way to do Australia in, like, just a week and taking only 5 days off from work.
Well, there is one way to do it. Our tour involves 4 days in Tasmania in combination with a day in Melbourne.

Bucket list animals targeted on this trip.

Platypus
Tasmanian Devil
Little Penguin
Koala
Gray Kangaroo
Short-nosed Echidna
Rufous Bristlebird
12 Endemic bird species for Tasmania.
Fairy-Wren species.
Rosellas
Lorikeets
Black Swan

See the detailed itinerary on this page.

Essential Birding Madagascar!
2023-11-19 - 2023-11-25
Madagascar is not known from having a large avifauna. Only just above 300 species. Yet, over 100 of those are endemic. There are also a four unique bird families (the mesites, ground-rollers, asities and the Bernieridae ‘warblers’), plus two additional families (the vangas and cuckoo-rollers) that occur only on Madagascar and the nearby Comoro Islands. The purpose of this trip is to cover at least one member all those bird families in a week for those that have little time.
We shall also visit different biomes to get a fuller understanding of the topography of the island in this very short time. We will also offer pre and post tours for those with more time and who want a more complete list of the endemic species available.
This tour can be very exhausting, as we are up well before dawn, and continue into the night. You can make this itinerary as intense as you want. During the heat of the day or in the afternoon, many people prefer to take a nap or hang around the pool, but you will also be offered additional birding to search for special birds. It is up to you.
Find the complete itinerary on the here.

The Pantanal - Jaguar Safari and Hyacinth Macaw
2023-09-24 - 2023-09-30
If you want to see the best mammals of the Amazon, don’t go to the Amazon. Go to the Pantanal in Brazil! In the Amazon the eco-system is very complex, closed by a lot of vegetation and the animals are scarce and hard to find. On the other hand, in the open savanna of the Pantanal, the animals have Amazon origin, but are more plentiful and less concealed. Hence, it is the best place to spot Jaguars, Giant Otter, Tapir, Capibaras, Howler Monkeys, Caimans, and even Maned Wolf and Ocelot sometimes. Additionally, it is home to big iconic birds such as Jabiru Stork, Toco Toucan, Agami Heron, Sunbittern, Sungrebe, Hoatzin, and of course the gigantic vivid blue Hyacinth Macaws. This trip offers Amazonian Wildlife like no other area in South America.
Our 7-day trip fits within two weekends, so you in most cases can get to Sao Paulo and back to your own country only taking 5 days off from work.
See detailed itinerary in this link.

Culture and Birding in Rome
2023-05-02 - 2023-05-06
The eternal city of Rome is a must visit. Sure, the Coliseum was awarded one of the ‘new’ 7 wonders , but Rome is so much more. Even the three full day we have in the city does not allow to see everything, but you will get the most essential. What is less known is that there is surprisingly good birding to done not far from Rome. The birding part of this trip targets Rock Partridge a European endemic, Brown Bear, Yelkouan Shearater and Scopoli’s Shearwater.
It is important to book early to be able to secure the time slots for the cultural sites. We limit this pilot trip to max 6 people.
It is possibly to add a pretour to Tuscany and Comacchio for more culture and birdwatching.

Birding in Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls
2022-10-18 - 2022-10-22
In the worldwide internet campaign for the new 7 wonders of the world, there was a massive popular promotion within Brazil (4th largest population in the world with 200 million inhabitants) to vote for Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro and hence it made the list.
Hence it got more votes than other candidates such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, La Alhambra in Spain, or the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Regardless, Rio de Janeiro is a natural wonder of its own kind and perhaps the most beautifully located big city in the world. The shape of the Sugarloaf and Corcovado are iconic. Hence, Rio de Janeiro is on many people’s bucket lists. It was also named as one of the top 7 Natural Wonder of the World by CNN.
So what is in it for the birder? There is surprisingly good birding at the Botanical Garden, which will be visited one morning and in the Tijuca National Park where Corcovado and the Christ statue is situated. So with local expertise, we shall be able to enjoy to see all major Rio sights, but also a great number of birds.
Check out the detailed itinerary.
Serious birders should look into the 3 day Rio de Janeiro State pre-trip, which focuses on some of the most local birds in South America.
After Rio, we fly to another iconic place – the Iguazu Falls – situated on the border of Southern Brazil and Misiones of NE Argentina. A spectacular natural wonder, and while staying at very comfortable hotels, we shall also do some excellent birding here.

Iberian Lynx, Alhambra and Raptor Bonanza
2022-10-16 - 2022-10-21
Andalucia, Spain is everything. It is birds, mammals, flamenco, moorish heritage, isolates sierra, white painted villages, gastronomy and wine. Our bucket list for Southern Spain include.

Alhambra – the beautiful palace of the last Caliph of Al Andaluz.
Granada Mezquita
Iberian Lynx
Spanish Imperial Eagle
Bee-Eater
Roller
Lammergeier
Golden Eagle

Culture and wild nature entwined when we visit Sierras de Andujar, Sierra Magina, Cazorla, Granada and Cordoba.
Check out this link for full description.

Classic Birding & Bird Photography in South East Brazil
2022-09-11 - 2022-09-18, 2022-07-10 - 2022-07-17
This is a shorter version of our 11 day trip to SE Brazil, and here we concentrate our efforts to visit great places for bird photography, especially hummingbirds and tanagers. There is also good general birding. The idea was to create a trip one could do between two weekends and still get most of the SE Brazil endemics, as well as get excellent opportunities for photographing birds.
Check out the full itinerary.

The Pantanal - Jaguar Safari and Hyacinth Macaw
2022-07-03 - 2022-07-09
If you want to see the best mammals of the Amazon, don’t go to the Amazon. Go to the Pantanal in Brazil! In the Amazon the eco-system is very complex, closed by a lot of vegetation and the animals are scarce and hard to find. On the other hand, in the open savanna of the Pantanal, the animals have Amazon origin, but are more plentiful and less concealed. Hence, it is the best place to spot Jaguars, Giant Otter, Tapir, Capibaras, Howler Monkeys, Caimans, and even Maned Wolf and Ocelot sometimes. Additionally, it is home to big iconic birds such as Jabiru Stork, Toco Toucan, Agami Heron, Sunbittern, Sungrebe, Hoatzin, and of course the gigantic vivid blue Hyacinth Macaws. This trip offers Amazonian Wildlife like no other area in South America.
Our 7-day trip fits within two weekends, so you in most cases can get to Sao Paulo and back to your own country only taking 5 days off from work.

Birding in Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls
2022-06-28 - 2022-07-02
In the worldwide internet campaign for the new 7 wonders of the world, there was a massive popular promotion within Brazil (4th largest population in the world with 200 million inhabitants) to vote for Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro and hence it made the list.
Hence, it got more votes than other candidates such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, La Alhambra in Spain, or the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Regardless, Rio de Janeiro is a natural wonder of its own kind and perhaps the most beautifully located big city in the world. The shape of the Sugarloaf and Corcovado are iconic. Hence, Rio de Janeiro is on many people’s bucket lists. It was also named as one of the top 7 Natural Wonder of the World by CNN.
So what is in it for the birder? There is surprisingly good birding at the Botanical Garden, which will be visited one morning and in the Tijuca National Park where Corcovado and the Christ statue is situated. So with local expertise, we shall be able to enjoy to see all major Rio sights, but also a great number of birds.
Serious birders should look into the 3 day Rio de Janeiro State pre-trip, which focuses on some of the most local birds in South America.
After Rio, we fly to another iconic place – the Iguazu Falls – situated on the border of Southern Brazil and Misiones of NE Argentina. A spectacular natural wonder, and while staying at very comfortable hotels, we shall also do some excellent birding here.

Birding Yucatan and Mayan History
2022-03-26 - 2022-04-02
Yucatan: Birding in Maya Country.

Few places in the Americas showcase natural beauty and pre-Columbian history like the Yucatan. Boasting an impressive 578 species of birds,14 of which are endemic or near endemic, the Yucatan also is known for the impressive Mayan monuments of Chichen Itza and Calakmul.
You will visit the flamingos of Rio Lagartos, the island endemics of Cozumel, get most if not all the Yucatan endemics as well as good chance of both Ocellated Turkey and Great Curassow. You will learn about Mayan history and culture, and you’ll try the exiting Mexican cuisine and perhaps one or two Margaritas!

Birding in Guatemala and Mayan History
2022-03-21 - 2022-03-25
Horned Guan and Pink-headed Warbler are two Central American top target birds that can either be seen at the classical Triunfo site in Chiapas. Mexico, or traditionally on a rather tough climb up the a volcano in Guatemala. However, in this program a new site is presented which gets both species on the same day with minimal necessary walking. It is a 30 min walk.
A trip to Guatemala would not be complete without a visit to the famous Maya ruins of Tikal, which incidentally is one of the best birding spots in the world within an archaeological compound, with top targets like Great Curassow, Ocellated Turkey and Orange-breasted Falcon relatively easy. You shall have plenty of time to both see the birds and the ruins well with expert guiding in both birds and archeology.
The tour lasts 5 days. Contact us for ideas, if you would like to make a longer trip in Central America or Mexico in combination.

India: Birding, Tigers and Taj Mahal
2021-12-27 - 2021-12-31, 2021-12-20 - 2021-12-24, 2021-12-13 - 2021-12-17
This is India!

It is amazing how much India you will see on this short tour that includes Tiger Safari in Ranthambore National park, one of the most impressive wetlands in the world at Keoladeo National Park next to Bharatpur, Indian Skimmer and Gavial on the Chambal River and finally the beautiful mausoleum Taj Mahal.
Check out the detailed program here.

Birding Holiday in Cambodia and Angkor Wat
2021-10-12 - 2021-10-16
Birding Cambodia and Angkor Wat.
The fascinating Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world, built as a Hindu temple in the early 12th century, but gradually transformed into a Buddhist Temple. It is the most important tourist attraction of Cambodia and obviously on many people’s bucket list. But there is also very good birding available nearby.
Our tour to Cambodia focusing on the unique birds and especially a number of Critically Endangered species such as Giant Ibis, White-shouldered Ibis, and White-winged Duck. We run this tour in cooperation with Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation – the prime conservation organization in Cambodia with projects aiming to conserve the threatened birds.
The departure is just before the Asian Bird Fair which runs Nov 20-22, 2021. After the Bird Fair, there will be an extension Nov 23-26 to hike Mt Aural in Cardamom Mountains for the endemic Cambodia Laughing-Thrush and several endemic subspecies.
See detailed itinerary clicking this link.

Birding in Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls
2021-06-29 - 2021-07-03
In the world wide internet campaign for the new 7 wonders of the world there was a massive popular campaign within Brazil (4th largest population in the world with 200 milion inhabitatant) to vote for Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro and hence it made the list.
Hence it got more votes than other candidates such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, La Alhambra in Spain, or the Eifel Tower in Paris.
Regardless, Rio de Janeiro is a natural wonder of its own kind and perhaps the most beautifully located big city in the world. The shape of the Sugarloaf and Corcovado are iconic. Hence, Rio de Janeiro is on many people’s bucket list. It was also named as one of the top 7 Natural Wonder of the World by CNN.
So what is in it for the birder? There is surprisingly good birding at the Botanical Garden, which will be visited one morning and in Tijuca National Park where Corcovado and the Christ statue is situated. So with local expertise we shall be able to enjoy to see all major Rio sights, but also a great number of birds.
Serious birders should look into the 3 day Rio de Janeiro State pretrip, which focus on some of the most local birds in South America.
After Rio, we fly to another iconic place – the Iguazu Falls – situated on the border of Southern Brazil and Misiones of NE Argentina. A spectacular natural wonder, and while staying at very comfortable hotels, we shall also do some excellent birding here.

Peru: Machu Picchu and Abra Malaga: Inca Culture, Condors and Endemics​
2021-01-27 - 2021-01-31
Best birding in Peru with Machu Picchu!

The last few decades have seen Machu Picchu grow to be one of the world’s most popular bucket list destinations. In this top-end hotel program, we give you a well-rounded tour that includes Machu Picchu and its history, the Inca culture, and some great birding at the Abra Malaga pass. Price is elevated because we stay at the best hotels for birders at Machu Picchu and Ollantaytambo – Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel and Pakaritampu. Both have ample beautiful gardens that attract many birds, and at Pueblo Hotel there are hummingbird and tanager feeders allowing for great photography. Of course, this trip is just as exciting for the non-birding spouse or friend, as it is for the birder in the family.
Serious birders and photographers will have ample opportunity to connect with the region’s endemics and near endemics, of which many are not found on Manu Road. So do join us for a visit to one of the new 7 wonders of the world and add some special bucket list birds to your list such as Condor, Torrent Duck, and Andean Cock of the Rock, as well as many endemics of the region. The photography opportunities are excellent.
Check out the detailed program here.
